Blow to Blitzboks as captain Soyizwapi ruled out of Seville event

Springbok Sevens captain Siviwe Soyizwapi has been ruled out of this weekend’s HSBC Spain Sevens tournament at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla, and will be replaced by Shaun Williams, who is scheduled to depart to Spain on Monday evening.

Soyizwapi got injured in the first match of the Malaga tournament last weekend while scoring his 13^th try of the season and did not take any further part in the tournament, which saw the Blitzboks secure a fifth consecutive HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament win.

Williams was part of the squad that won the previous four titles after making his debut in Vancouver and then played in Edmonton and Dubai as well.

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The 23-year-old, who has played on the wing and scrumhalf for the Golden Lions earlier in his career, has scored eight tries in his 20 matches for the Blitzboks so far. Impi Visser, who took over the captaincy from Soyizwapi in Malaga, will lead the South Africans in the fourth tournament of the 2022 World Series.

Williams said he is grateful to join the squad and wished Soyizwapi a speedy recovery: “It is never nice to replace someone who is injured, and I hope ‘Shakes’ is back to full fitness in no time. This does give me another opportunity to join the guys on tour again and contribute and that is something to look forward to.”

The Blitzboks will again play in Pool A of the competition, this time against USA and Spain. World Rugby has indicated that due to Fiji’s continued absence, only 15 teams will play in Seville, handing the Pool A teams a bye in the process.